A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to copyright protection. The owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.
This invention relates to methods for measurement of the emotional distance between individuals in given situations of human interaction, and to games which utilize such methods.
Sociologists and psychologists have long recognized that a relationship exists between socially-deviant behavior and the lack of roletaking ability of the individuals exhibiting such behavior. More particularly, psychologists have long recognized that child development, both intellectually and emotionally, is in part dependent upon the roletaking capacities of their parents and teachers. Further, it has been recognized that the satisfactory and successful conduct of affairs in the adult world, especially in the area of communication and negotiation, is facilitated where the participants in a particular affair have the ability to take on the role of the other participants and to respond in such situations on the same emotional level as the other participants.
The study of roletaking, particularly with a view towards the establishment of systematic methods for development and measurement of roletaking ability, has thus been an important concern of sociological and psychological research. One method for such measurement that to some remote extent resembles the method disclosed and claimed herein is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,764,135, issued Oct. 9, 1973, to Madison and titled xe2x80x9cEmpathy Game.xe2x80x9d That game operationalizes empathy as roletaking ability, and yields an empathy score that is a composite of the number of times that both members of a dyad are able to assume a given role and then select the same response from a given number of responses, for a given number of situations. Madison""s work provides a method for testing the same individual against a number of other individuals, sequentially. That is, one""s capability concerning roletaking behavior may vary from one partner to the another, and Madison shows how that variance can be measured. Madison""s work also teaches roletaking in that it offers an opportunity for the same two individuals to replay the game, and to make different response selections during such replay, in order to achieve a more desirable outcome. However, Madison""s approach is limited to measurement of the cumulative number of roletaking instances between two players. His method is also limited to the predetermined role choice options provided by the game. Significantly, Madison""s game makes no provision for estimating the varying amounts of emotional distance between players"" response choices.
While the just mentioned efforts of Madison are suggestive of the fact that (a) measurement, and (b) stimulation of roletaking ability are both matters of importance, substantial progress in this field has heretofore been limited due to the lack of adequate methodology in the field.
Therefore, with respect to measurement of emotional distance between individuals, there remains a great, unresolved need for a reliable methodology which can:
(i) measure the emotional distance between differing responses when individuals do not select the same response to a given situation;
(ii) enable individuals to create and interpret their own responses when there are no predetermined response choices available;
(iii) identify the issues over which individuals experience emotional distance;
(iv) utilize skills learned from use of the method to interpret and modify relationships in everyday life; and which ideally, can (v) measure the emotional distance between the selected responses of more than two individuals at the same time.
Particularly in Asian societies, such as in Japan, the ability to respond in a socially acceptable manner, not emotionally distant from others involved, is an important social and business skill. For example, in many business situations, it may be the potential xe2x80x9closs of facexe2x80x9d and not the immediate business economic consequences which are paramount in business decision making. Understanding the motivating forces behind such behavior in business decisions which maintain xe2x80x9cfacexe2x80x9d or result in xe2x80x9closs of facexe2x80x9d would be of particular advantage for businessmen dealing with such cultures.
Because the linkage between (i) the way that a particular behavior functions, (ii) the level of emotional distance that such behavior expresses, and (iii) the differences in interactants"" perspectives on such behavior, given the same situation, has not heretofore been described, scientists and others have encountered serious difficulties in attempting to measure emotional distance between individuals as it relates to roletaking. Still more difficult has been the stimulation and development of roletaking ability in individuals. This problem has been exacerbated given the lack of any systematic method for developing such roletaking ability. Further, there exists a need for a system which enables the development of roletaking ability in a variety of settings.
In summary, with respect to roletaking, there currently exists in the art a great need for new and improved methods for:
1) measuring roletaking ability;
2) measuring the emotional distance between interactants"" responses to a given situation when the parties do not take the role of the other;
3) identifying those issues that prevent particular combinations of persons from putting themselves in the role of others; and
4) providing strategies that interactants can use to improve their roletaking abilities in every-day life.
In addition, a critical need currently exists in the field of psychotherapy for a method which enables the development of roletaking ability. Moreover, it is likely that most social relationships could be significantly improved by increasing the roletaking abilities of the participants. Finally, for persons desiring to increase their own roletaking capabilities, or desiring to encourage roletaking development in others, there clearly exists a need for simple methods for recognizing, measuring, understanding, stimulating and developing such roletaking ability.
I have invented, and disclose herein, a novel method for evaluation of the emotional distance between individuals. My method recognizes that various forms of human social behavior can be described by use of discrete functional categories. Most simply, behavior can be described by use of two categories, IN-FACE or OUT-OF FACE behavior. However, in my method, I have found that it is more useful to use three basic categories for such description; those categories are (i) SOLIDARITY, (ii) NEGOTIATION, and (iii) NON-COMPLIANT behavior. With respect to the above described basic two behavior category system, IN-FACE behavior includes SOLIDARITY, and all other behavior categories are considered OUT-OF-FACE.
The three basic behavior categories set forth in the preceding paragraph can be broken down into further defined sub-categories. Therefore, in one exemplary embodiment of my method, NEGOTIATION can be further defined as (a) an EXPLANATION, (b) COMPLIANCE, or (c) a REQUEST. The REQUEST category includes commands and demands for specific behaviors as well as inquiries for further information. Also in that embodiment, NON-COMPLIANT behavior can be further defined as (a) DISAGREEMENT (or CHALLENGE), (b) AVOIDANCE, or (c) MAKING POINTS (or PUT-DOWN).
I have found that it is most useful to utilize seven functional categories and sub-categories (hereinafter xe2x80x9ccategoriesxe2x80x9d), as they provide a convenient basis for the evaluation of behavior. Each of these seven categories of behavior expresses a different level of emotional distance between interactants. The emotional distance between individuals relates to the differences between their perspectives concerning the situations which they are faced with. These seven categories are (i) SOLIDARITY, (ii) EXPLANATION, (iii) COMPLIANCE, (iv) REQUEST, (v) CHALLENGE, (vi) AVOIDANCE, and (vii) MAKING POINTS.
An ordinal variable of emotional distance can be formed by arranging the seven above named categories of behavior according to the amount of emotional distance that each function expresses during social interaction.
SOLIDARITY includes AGREEMENT, and APPROVAL, which indicate no emotional distance between interactants.
NEGOTIATION includes behavior that functions in one of three ways:
First, polite EXPLANATION, that neither agrees with nor disagrees with the other, expresses a slight emotional distance between interactants. Explanation is not necessary when people are in agreement.
Second, COMPLIANT behavior is a polite response to a request and expresses slightly more emotional distance than explanation. When someone makes a request, compliance is expected.
Third, when a person REQUESTS a response from the other, his or her behavior expresses slightly more emotional distance than compliant behavior.
NON-COMPLIANT behavior includes behavior that functions in one of three ways:
First, an expression of DISAGREEMENT shows more emotional distance than an expression amounting to a REQUEST.
Second, AVOIDANCE, which is tinged with anger, indicates more emotional distance than disagreement.
Third, MAKING POINTS behavior, that is behavior which tends to be rude or PUT someone DOWN, is the most emotionally distant behavior of all.
Thus, by identifying a particular behavior, and categorizing that particular behavior according to function, such as within the above described seven categories, the emotional closeness or distance between individuals can be estimated, based on particular preferred responses by the individuals.
I have found that it is useful to utilize (a) three board games, (b) a task completion activity, and (c) an Internet based business, to embody the present invention. Each of these methods of employing my invention provides a convenient method for the evaluation of human behavior. Each of the three board games evaluates a different aspect of the emotional distance between players, as such emotional distance relates to a variety of social situations. I have named the board games (i) BE YOURSELF(trademark) (this evaluates the emotional distance between players as it relates to the differences in players"" perspectives concerning a variety of social situations), (ii) BE THE OTHER(trademark) (this game evaluates the emotional distance between a player""s ability to take the role of the other and the demonstrated role of the other), and (iii) CREATE THE OTHER(trademark) (this game evaluates the emotional distance between each player""s effort to create the role of a hypothetical other and his ability to do so, as viewed by the other players).
Game (i) specifically the BE YOURSELF(trademark) game, involves a method of playing a game with two or more players wherein the players are provided with a number of hypothetical situations and are offered a set of possible responses to the situation. Players may also be given an opportunity to create unique responses, and in such situations, are provided with a set of rules for categorizing the responses by behavior type, so that the preferred responses can be evaluated in terms of the emotional distance between the various responses. The method used in this game includes providing to each player a score for the player""s response selections wherein the total value of the game score is based upon the differences (i.e., the emotional distance) between the players"" perspectives. Uniquely, the extent to which a player is a winner is the decision of the player. It is up to each individual player to decide if the distance is good or bad. If you are playing the game with other players whose perspectives you do not approve of you may decide that a large distance between your perspective and their perspectives is O.K. A xe2x80x9cwinningxe2x80x9d score is thus a score wherein your distance point score represents who you think you are, and what you do, in relationship to the other game players.
Game (ii) the BE THE OTHER(trademark) game, evaluates the emotional distance between a players"" ability to take the role of the other, and the demonstrated role of the other. This game involves a method of playing a game with one or more sets of players (two players in each set of players) wherein the players are provided with the same hypothetical situations as offered within game (i). Specifically, the players are offered a set of possible responses (and may also be given an opportunity to create unique responses and provided with a set of rules for categorizing such responses by behavior type), so that the preferred responses can be evaluated in terms of the emotional distance between the actual responses of one player and the roletaking responses of the other player. The method used in this game includes providing to each player a score for the player""s roletaking response selections wherein the total value of the game score is based upon the difference between one player""s actual response score and the other player""s roletaking response score. The winner is this BE THE OTHER(trademark) game is the player whose roletaking response choices indicate the least total emotional distance from the actual response choices of the other player, as recorded during the game.
Game(iii) my CREATE THE OTHER(trademark) game, evaluates the emotional distance between each player""s effort to create the role of a hypothetical individual, and the player""s own ability to create such a hypothetical individual, as viewed by the other players. Game (iii) involves a method of playing a game with two or more players wherein the players are provided with a number of hypothetical situations, are given an opportunity to roll a single die, and are asked to create a unique response in the category indicated by the die. Players are provided with a set of rules for categorizing responses by behavior type, so that responses can be evaluated in terms of the emotional distance between the response required by the roll of the die and the response created by the player, as viewed by the other (non die-rolling) players.
Diplomacy is a task completion activity which evaluates the emotional distance between each participant""s responses and the diplomatic response categories (i.e., SOLIDARITY and NEGOTIATION). Diplomacy as practiced in the various methods of the present invention involves providing participants with a task to complete, the content of which is based on either (a) the most distancing issues of game(i), as indicated by the game scores, or (b) a recommendation from database E or F (see below). Instructions include the requirement (a) to use only diplomatic category responses when communicating with one another, and, (b) to write all responses on a score sheet (see FIG. 7). When finished working on the task, participants exchange response sheets so that each participant codes each of the other participant""s responses using the set of rules provided for categorizing the responses by behavior type. Response sheets are then returned to their owners. The response sheet owner then enters the median score and the distance score (the distance score is equal to the emotional distance that is greater than the REQUEST category of behavior). The method used in this activity includes providing to each participant a score for his actual responses wherein the total value of the score is based upon the distance between the value scored for the player""s actual responses and the value which would have been scored for a response in a diplomatic response category. The winner of this activity is the participant whose responses indicate the least total emotional distance from the diplomatic response categories (as viewed by the other participants).
Another embodiment of the present invention is an Internet based business that includes, but is not limited to use of one or more integrated databases that include a plurality of data from one or more of the following database categories:
(A) Soul Mate (SM),
(B) Student-Faculty-Parent Relations (SFPR),
(C) Hung Jury (HJ),
(D) Work Group Selection (WGS),
(E) Family Therapy (FT),
(F) Prenuptial Counseling (PC), and
(G) Swing Vote.
A description of the various data categories follows:
A. Soul Mate(trademark)
The Soul Mate(trademark) portion of the database collects a client""s demographic and response data to create a personal data profile. This provides an opportunity for each client to enter a description of the mate desired. A sort of single""s response data is conducted to identify participants whose description matches the description entered by the client, and importantly, whose perspective shows the least emotional distance from the client. This Soul Mate(trademark) database provides a method for identifying participants whose perspectives are the most similar, by providing participants with a series of hypothetical situations and a set of possible responses that have been categorized so that the preferred responses can be evaluated in terms of the emotional distance between participants"" perspectives. The method used in creation of this database includes providing each participant with the opportunity to become a database member, to enter his/her data, to search the database for suitable individuals who share his/her perspective, and provide an output of contact information (preferably in the form of a printout) as well as an analysis of the prospective relationships in terms of emotional distance/closeness.
B. Student-Faculty-Parent Relations(trademark)
The Student-Faculty-Parent Relations(trademark) (SFPR) portion of the database collects demographic and response data from students, faculty and parents to identify participants whose perspectives are the most emotionally distant, to identify and suggest intervention activities. The SFPR, database creation method involves identifying student participants whose perspectives exhibit (1) the most emotional distance between themselves and other students, (2) between themselves and faculty, and, (3) between themselves and their parents. This is accomplished by providing database participants with a series of hypothetical situations and a set of possible responses that have been categorized so that the preferred responses can be evaluated in terms of the emotional distance between participants"" perspectives. The method used in this aspect of the database includes providing to each participant the opportunity to enter his data. Faculty members (or others) then search the database to identify students with the most isolated perspectives, (i.e., the greatest emotional distance). An output (preferably in the form of a printout) containing an analysis of these students"" relationships with (1) other students, (2) parents, and, (3) faculty, is provided, and appropriate intervention activities are suggested.
C. Hung Jury(trademark)
The Hung Jury(trademark) (HJ) portion of the database program collects demographic and jury member response data and sorts jury member response data to identify jury members who would not be able to reach a consensus concerning a particular trial. The Hung Jury(trademark) database creation method involves identifying jury members who would not be able to reach a consensus concerning a particular trial matter by providing each jury member with a series of hypothetical situations and a set of possible responses that have been categorized, so that the preferred responses can be evaluated in terms of the emotional distance between potential jury members. The resulting data that shows emotional distance between jury member profiles provides an analysis of the composition of the desired jury.
D. Work Group Selection(trademark)
The Work Group Selection(trademark) (WGS) portion of the database provides a method to collect and evaluate demographic data and employee response data. The employee data is sorted to identify a group of individuals who could most effectively work together on a particular task. The Work Group Selection(trademark) database creation method involves identifying work group members who could most effectively complete a particular task by providing employees with a series of hypothetical situations and a set of possible responses, so that the preferred responses can be evaluated in terms of the emotional distance between work group members, with regard to the task at hand. The output of the WGS(trademark) evaluation method involves providing an output, (preferably in the form of a printout), containing an analysis of the composition of the desired work groups and an estimate of group productivity, given a particular type of task.
E. Family Therapy(trademark)
The Family Therapy(trademark) portion of the database provides a method for collection of demographic and family response data, and then compares family response data to identify issues that do or will produce conflict in family relationships. The FT(trademark) portion of the database also provides a method for identifying issues with respect to which various family members"" perspectives differ. This is accomplished by providing each family member with a series of hypothetical situations and a set of possible responses so that the preferred responses can be evaluated in terms of the emotional distance between the various family members with regard to particular situations. Family members will also be given an opportunity to create unique responses and provided with a set of rules for categorizing the responses by behavior type. The method used with the FT(trademark) portion of the database provides an output, (preferably in the form of a printout), with an analysis of the distancing issues in the family""s relationships, as well as suggested activities for negotiating closer relationships.
F. Prenuptial Counseling(trademark)
The Prenuptial Counseling(trademark) portion of the database provides a method for collection of demographic and response data from each member of a couple undergoing evaluation and counseling. The method then compares the couple""s data, each to the other, to identify issues that do or will produce conflict in the couple""s relationship. The PC(trademark) portion of the database involves a method of identifying issues with respect to which the perspectives of individual members of a couple differ. This is done by providing each member of the couple with a series of hypothetical situations and a set of possible responses so that the preferred responses can be evaluated in terms of the emotional distance between the two individuals, with regard to particular situations. Each member of the couple will also be given an opportunity to create unique responses, and provided with a set of rules for categorizing the responses by behavior type. The PC(trademark) portion of the database, and my method for analysis and use of the data gathered, provides an output (preferably in the form of a printout analysis) of the distancing issues in the couple""s relationship, as well as suggested activities for making decisions about the future of their relationship.
(G) The Swing Vote
The Swing Vote portion of the database and my method for analysis and use of the data gathered provides an output analysis (preferably in the form of a printout or screen display) of the attitudes of all members of the database, concerning specific issues, by geographic area.
From the foregoing, it will be evident to the reader that a primary object of the present invention resides in the provision of a novel, improved method for measuring the emotional distances between individuals in a given human interaction situation.
A related and important object of the present invention is to provide an improved game process for measuring the emotional distance between players"" responses.
It is a feature of the present invention that descriptive, discrete, and categorically complete behavior types are established in order to create a methodology for measurement of the emotional distance between individuals is established.
It is an important advantage of the present invention that a discrete value scale is provided to distinguish between behavior type categories, thus enabling an easy method of measurement of emotional distance between individuals.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for evaluating and predicting the probable proportions of non-compliant behavior for particular combinations of persons who will be asked to work together on specific tasks.
A related object similar to the just mentioned object is to provide a game process that produces ratings of players"" performances that can be reliably used for prediction of the probable proportions of non-compliant behavior for particular combinations of persons who will be asked to work together on specific tasks.
It is a feature of the present invention that the probability of non-compliant behavior can be quickly and easily evaluated by use of the game process provided.
A unique advantage of the present invention is that it provides an easily implemented method for prediction of the likely success of industrial project teams, based on the interpersonal behavior of the participants, and more specifically, based upon the emotional distance between the individuals involved with respect to specific issues.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a game process that can be used for teaching social interaction, both in education and in industry, and to students and professionals alike.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved, entertaining game process for measuring one or more players"" roletaking ability.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a game process that produces data that can be used by researchers to learn more about social interaction.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a game process that produces ratings of a player""s performance which are reasonably accurate.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a game process in which skills learned by players can be used to improve their social and business relationships in their everyday lives.
An important advantage of the game provided by the present invention is that it is fun and entertaining to play, thus facilitating the learning process.
Yet another object of the present invention is that it will produce a database that can be used by politicians to evaluate swing vote.
Still another object of the present invention is that it will produce a database that can be used by school administrators to evaluate students at risk for committing terrorist acts.
A unique advantage of the present invention is that it provides an easily implemented method for identifying the issues over which non-compliant behavior can be predicted.
Other important objects, features, and additional advantages of the invention will be apparent to the reader from the foregoing and the appended claims and as the ensuing detailed description and discussion of the invention proceeds in conjunction with the accompanying drawing.